WSJ’s Colleen McCain Nelson explains why President Obama and Iran’s President Rouhani didn’t meet at the U.N., amid signs of a warming in U.S.-Iran relations and possible progress on ending Iran’s nuclear-weapon program.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

the ... meanwhile while ... was busy not worry about these fiscal and debt issues this week he was busy at the UN ... trying to not really succeeding meeting is on the grants ... it so there was a lot of bill that ... heading into the U N General Assembly and a lot of questions that will they or won't they ... meet at ... present Obama and President blindly she can lead not into it that it will ... be exchange a word and ... an interestingly any and Obama was willing to do that money was not and so ... at the ... United States expressed a willingness to have a meeting on the margins and ... hear any Iranian said ... we can do that we ... have to answer to the hardliners back oh we're not ready to get that uses robot Brighton then reveals an interesting thing which is the truth is that for years now cross both Republican and Democratic administrations the US is active and willing to be with the Iranians ... um it sometimes eager to have a ... conversation ... it's been the Iranian side can pull off that that the idea of even shaking hands for president ... so repulsive the summit people back home that you can't do it ... but there's an interesting analysis that says that's actually a good sign because ... because rough on the is serious about wanting to have some kind of rapprochement ... he didn't want to lead a symbolic thing like a shoo in for the president ... dropping of for Ryo up all the hard liners back onto the re couldn't proceed on the more substantive things which involve for example having the sector's State ... John Kerry ... talked to the Iranian foreign minister about three ... am which which happen ... to get the word has been a mistake by calling them with attention to ... well I mean you do you ever thought on this to be honest they were trying to draw much attention to that as we were all ... shot at employment so I think it that when the snow the White House and that was always that easy ... but the McClellan the White House wanted it to happen would of been happy had occurred that we've been seeing a sentencing moment no changes to ... my and ... their Selim was sent back and forth and and that there was the possibility that could happen ... and that any end to Obama which the slides as ever I need it not a and I and these have the backup they've been interestingly President honey the next eight ... to ten with an American media folks and gave an interview and the pants and bad ... skin that can basically acknowledge the Holocaust which is an interesting development which ... some people noted should not be considered a cute frog yes but it's still interesting ... they're like this ... so I mean I think what he is doing as he is first in some these bubbles ... that got away ... you know that was the Holocaust ... due to charges of Holocaust was one ... of the the refusal to talk about their nuclear program until then been agreed to back sanctions will not cede to and from ... I think there's gonna be diplomacy ... because ... potentially meaningful diplomacy ... but how are just a good start is a sign ... of difficult in this this whole wrote this can be ... aam and I suspect the Israelis are watching with